With a capacity of over 60,000 the Emirates Stadium is currently the largest football ground in London. It is the only stadium that I know of, in this country that is four tiered. The lower tier, is large and shallow, set well back from the playing surface as a cinder track surrounds the playing area. A small second tier, which is called the Club tier, has seating, but is only eight rows high. Inside it has a number of lounges/restaurants, earning it the nickname the 'prawn circle'. This Club tier slightly overhangs the bottom tier.

The third tier is even smaller, being entirely comprised of executive boxes, some 150 in total and fits entirely under the large fourth tier. This upper tier has been designed in a semi circular fashion and is topped by an impressive looking roof, that includes a lot of visible white tubular steelwork and perspex panels to allow more light to get to the pitch. The roofs though do not follow the semi circular shape of the stands but in fact run across the top of them and even dip down towards them giving them a strange look. Two excellent looking large video screens situated in the North West and South East corners, below the roof line, complete the stadium.

Outside the Emirates Stadium there are bronze statues of former manager Herbert Chapman and former players Tony Adams, Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry.

Away fans at the Emirates Stadium are housed in the lower tier of the South East corner. The normal allocation for away fans is just under 3,000 tickets, but this can be increased for cup games. Although fans have big padded seats and plenty of leg room, the lower tier of the stadium is quite shallow (unlike the upper tiers which have plenty of height between rows), meaning that the view might not be as good as you would expect from a modern stadium.

Entrance to the stadium is by a 'smart ticket', whereby rather than giving your ticket to a turnstile operator, you enter it into a ticket reader to gain entry. On my last visit, after being searched on entry, the steward took my ticket and inserted it into the ticket reader for me, which speeded up the process (which made sense as it is not clear on the ticket as to which way it should be inserted).

The concourse inside is not that spacious, but just about adequate. There is quite a choice of food on offer, although some of it is rather pricey, for example, a Hot Dog will set you back £5.30. However the crowd of fans that had formed into a scrum around the kiosk put me off even trying to buy anything. It would have been nice if a proper queuing system had been put in place. There are plenty of flat screen televisions on the concourse to keep you entertained, plus there is a Ladbroke betting facility.

I have been to the Emirates Stadium a couple of times now. The first was for an international friendly, where I had tickets for the upper tier of the stadium. I was very impressed all round with the stadium and had a great day out. The second visit was as an away supporter seated in the visiting section. On this visit I was less impressed with the Emirates. The whole occasion just seemed as it was one big corporate event rather than a football match. Plus the view was that not that great and afterwards you almost questioned if the stadium did indeed hold 60,000, as the large gaps in the corners below the stadium roof, gave the illusion that it is smaller than what it is. The away fans are also located very close to the home fans, which led to a fair amount of rather unsavoury banter.

On the positive side the stadium is indeed one of quality. It looks and feels that it has not been 'built on the cheap' and is a 'cut above' most other new stadiums built in this country. The atmosphere is okay and the pitch even in January looked immaculate. On a lighter note look out for the rather odd looking mascot called 'Gunnersaurus, which is not as you would expect coloured red and white, but instead a bright green, fluffy looking dinosaur.

On a separate note, then if you like your pies then on Gillespie Road not far from Arsenal Tube Station (going towards the Emirates), is a stall called Piebury Corner which is popular on matchdays. Although it is actually set up in someones front garden, then don't let that put you off as the range of pies are excellent and cost in the region of £3.80 - £4.50.

The traditional pub for away supporters is the Drayton Park, which is located near to Arsenal tube station and Drayton Park railway station. This Courage pub overlooks the Emirates Stadium and is only a few minutes walk away. However as you would expect it can get extremely busy on matchdays, with drinkers spilling outside onto the pavements. Just outside the entrance to the away turnstiles at the Emirates Stadium itself, there are some food and drink kiosks, one of which sells alcohol.

Mark Long recommends the Twelve Pins (formerly the Finsbury Park Tavern) near Finsbury Park Tube Station. ‘Normally a good mix of home and away fans and about a ten minute walk from the ground’. Whilst Guy McIntyre adds; ‘The Blackstock opposite The Twelve Pins, also welcomes away fans, plus it has a big screen showing Sky Sports’. Otherwise alcohol is available inside the stadium (Fosters, John Smith’s and Strongbow), costing around £4.90 a pint.

Leave the M1 at Junction 2 and onto the A1, following the signs for City (Central London). Keep going on the A1 for around six miles, until you see Holloway Road Tube Station on your right. Take the next left at the traffic lights into Hornsey Road and the stadium is about a 1/4 of a mile further down this road.

There is little parking at the stadium itself or in nearby streets. An extensive residents only parking scheme operates around the stadium on matchdays. It's probably better to park further out of London around a tube station such as Cockfosters and get the tube to the ground. John Ellis a visiting Leicester City fan informs me; 'I found parking available at the Sobell Leisure Centre on Hornsey Road (N7 7NY). Just a 10 minute walk away from the Emirates Stadium, it cost £6 up to four hours, or £15 for longer.' There is also the option of renting a private driveway near the Emirates Stadium via YourParkingSpace.co.uk.

Tony Attwood adds; 'Cockfosters underground station is the obvious station for fans travelling from the north - it is only about 4 miles south of the M25. It has its own car park but this can be full by as early as 12.30pm. What's more it can be difficult to exit after the game, with most drivers seeking to come out and cross the main road to head north. Unless you have an encyclopedic knowledge of the streets around the general area of the Emirates, it really isn't worth trying to find some street parking. Football fans on matchdays are easy pickings for the traffic wardens, who contrary to popular belief, do work on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.'

The nearest London Underground tube station to the Emirates Stadium is Holloway Road on the Piccadilly line. It is only a few minutes walk from the stadium, however, to exit this stadium you need to go up by lift or tackle a rather steep spiral staircase. Also please note that the station is also closed after matches. On exiting the station turn right, cross over the road to the other side and then turn left for the stadium. It may be a better idea to alight at the next stop on the Piccadilly line which is Arsenal tube station. Again it is only a few minutes walk from here to the stadium. On exiting the station turn right and follow Drayton Park Road around to the left. Then take one of the large bridges over the railway line to the stadium. Other tube stations in walking distance of the stadium are Finsbury Park on the Piccadilly Line and Highbury & Islington on the Victoria Line.

Otherwise you can take an overland train to Finsbury Park Railway Station from London Kings Cross. It is then about a 10 to 15 minute walk from Finsbury Park to the stadium. Drayton Park Station which is situated right by the stadium is closed at weekends.

Tim Sansom adds; 'After the game we had to walk a fair distance to find an underground station that had not been shut due to overcrowding. We found that the Arsenal underground had been shut by the police and so had to undertake a fairly long walk to Finsbury Park which was also shut by station staff. We were recommended by the police to take the mainline train into Kings Cross, which we did with no problems and were back in central London within 10 minutes'.

Unless you are team are being stuffed and you are leaving the game a little early, then Arsenal tube station should be fine. If though you are staying to the final whistle, then you are better off walking to Finsbury Park, rather than wait in the long queues at Arsenal tube. To get to Finsbury Park, simple walk past Arsenal tube station on your left and then take a left into St Thomas's Road. The station is at the end of the road. The Police also do a good job of controlling the flow of the numbers of fans onto the station.

For travelling across London by public transport I recommend planning your journey ahead with the use of the Travel For London Plan your journey website.

Booking train tickets in advance will normally save you money! Find train times, prices and book tickets with Trainline. Visit the website below to see how much you can save on the price of your tickets:

The Club operate a category system for ticket prices (A, B & C), whereby the most popular games cost more to watch. Category A prices are shown below for Premier League games with Category B & C prices shown in brackets.

As per an agreement with all Premier League Clubs, away fans will be charged a maximum price of those shown below for all League games:

Adults £30
Over 65's £16
Under 19's £16
Under 17's £10

Official Hotel and Premier League Ticket packages from Thomas Cook Sport.

Thomas Cook Sport are the Official Travel Partner of Arsenal FC. They offer match ticket and hotel packages for most Arsenal games at the Emirates Stadium. Check out what they have to offer by clicking on the link below: They also offer gift cards too, including other sports such as F1 Racing, Darts and Golf.

If you require hotel accommodation in London then first try a hotel booking service provided by Booking.com. They offer all types of accommodation to suit all tastes and pockets from; Budget Hotels, Traditional Bed & Breakfast establishments to Five Star Hotels and Serviced Apartments. Plus their booking system is straightforward and easy to use. Yes this site will earn a small commission if you book through them, but it will help towards the running costs of keeping this Guide going.

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Emirates Stadium?

I follow the Swans with a passion and another league game chalked off.

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

A few of us decided to drive from West Wales and park the car at Hillingdon underground station which was very convenient. Then a 50 minute tube journey to Finsbury Park after changing at St Pancras.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

We arrived in plenty of time so decided to meet up with a few London Jacks in the Faltering Fullback pub, serving a number of great lagers, ales etc on tap coinciding with the early kick off being shown and away fans having a great welcome. This is around a 20-25 minute away from the Emirates Stadium. we wandered down to the Drayton Arms by the stadium nearer 1pm. This is the most popular away pub which obviously gets packed closer to kick off.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Emirates Stadium?

The Emirates Stadium is one of the most impressive grounds in the league and the away end is a good one too where away fans can generate a fair bit of noise, especially when travelling in bulk.

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

A superb first half from the Swans resulted in Sam Clucas scoring his first for the club putting us 1-0 up at half time. Unfortunately for us Arsenal were much better second half and turned the game on its head, albeit you wouldn't have known that judging by the home support who don't tend to make much noise at all. The overall atmosphere is usually generated by the away fans. Stewards were okay before the game albeit a little slow checking other people's bags etc. The facilities were excellent.

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

The nearby Holloway Road Station had been shut after the game which I believe happens after all 3pm games so we walked 15 minutes to Highbury & Islington and took the tube there to Hillingdon which was as straightforward as it gets.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

Another good away day following the Swans, apart from 45 minutes of second half Football.

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Emirates Stadium?

It has been a couple of seasons since Norwich were able to play one of the top teams in England, and a cup tie under the lights against Arsenal was not something to miss. Having never been to the Emirates Stadium before, I was excited to see if it was as amazing as people had described it to be.

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

There are not any car parks that are nearby to the Emirates, so we drove into Bromley (South London) and took the train up to North London. The train journey to the Emirates was simple. As we arrived into London earlier than expected, due to good traffic, we decided to take the train and explore Central London for a couple of hours.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

We started off in Central London by having a meal at Shake Shack in Leicester Square. As it was Leicester Square, you would expect this to be fairly pricey, and Shake Shack was no different. However, I personally felt the food quality was high enough to get your moneys worth. Afterwards, we went for a walk around Regent Street, before heading back to Green Park to take the tube to Arsenal. There were lots of Arsenal fans on the tube and we were the only away fans on there that I could see, but the Arsenal fans didn't bother with us.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Emirates Stadium?

If you take the tube to Arsenal station, then upon your arrival you will find the old Highbury Stadium, the old home of Arsenal. It is a fantastic ground, and I think it is a shame that they left it. Well, I felt like this until I came to the end of the walk to the Emirates. The Emirates is one of the biggest stadiums I have been to, and the pre-match atmosphere in the area felt somewhat similar to the atmosphere before a game at FC Barcelona. Upon arrival at the turnstiles, the process was simple. You insert your ticket into an electronic reader, before entering a medium sized concourse area. As we were given an allocation of 8,800, I literally had to walk to the other end of the Clock End to find my seat. The seats inside the stadium are padded, which instantly makes them the most luxurious I've experienced. However, the lower tier offers very little leg room, and the seating is quite shallow, so the view is not 100%. As we were all standing, this was not a problem at all.

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

It really was a game of two halves. In the first half, Arsenal were all over the place. Norwich capitalized on this and went 1-0 up on 34 minutes through Josh Murphy. The scenes in the away end were absolutely crazy! In the second half, a lot of the first team Arsenal players were becoming tired, and Arsene Wenger decided to have a little faith in his youngsters. The shining light of them all was Eddie Nketiah. He came on to the pitch on 85 minutes, and with his first touch, levelled the tie to 1-1. The game went to extra time, and on the 96th minute, Eddie Nketiah scored yet again to win the game 2-1. However, from kick-off to the end of extra time, the atmosphere from the Norwich boys was absolutely insane.

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

The queues at Arsenal tube station were horrendous, so we decided to walk to Finsbury Park, where we took the tube back to Victoria. From there, we travelled back to Bromley to begin the drive home, where we arrived home at about 1.45am.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

The result may not have gone our way, but it was a memorable night for all Norwich fans at the Emirates Stadium and one which I will never forget.

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Emirates Stadium?

When the draw for the third round of the League Cup was made, it was the one tie I was dreaming of. I've Passed the Emirates Stadium many times on the East Coast line into Kings Cross and had often dreamt of Doncaster Rovers playing there.

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

It was an easy journey from Kings Cross and then alighting at Finsbury Park on the underground Victoria tube line.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

Having got off at Finsbury Park, I followed the crowd. The walk towards The Emirates Stadium was like a journey of bygone years. Every street corner was geared towards the big match experience with the smell of fried onions and food and football merchandise vendors tucked into every available space along the route with the crowd growing in numbers on as we approached the stadium.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Emirates Stadium?

I challenge anyone not to be impressed by what must be one of the best stadiums in Europe. There was no opportunity to take a selfie with the stadium as a back-drop as the 5000 travelling Doncaster fans were certainly making the most of the occasion.

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

The Emirates Stadium is equally impressive on the inside. Although the Doncaster fans were in full voice, for the first 25 minutes the Rovers team hardy got out of our own half as we sat in and tried to soak up the pressure from the Arsenal onslaught. Theo Walcott eventually broke the deadlock and we feared the worst but the team from League One clawed their way into the match and emerged at half time with some credit. The second half was more even with Doncaster creating chances to have at least taken the game into extra time. During the game, the stewarding and police were first class and good-humoured banter was the order of the day. The sound of our theme-song: "we're just a pub team having a laugh" ringing out around such a majestic venue will be etched in the memory for years to come!

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

With no extra time, I had some minutes to spare before heading back to Kings Cross so I met up with my nephew and his friends for an after match pint close to the Highbury and Islington tube station. The station was pretty quiet and it was a no-fuss non-stop journey back to Kings Cross which took less than ten minutes.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

Absolute class. Although we lost by a solitary goal, the memories of visiting the Emirates Stadium will be a lasting one. The whole experience was filled with unforgettable moments from getting off the train to getting home.

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Emirates Stadium?

Another Premier League away day. I always aim to do the London clubs.

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

I took the London Underground Metropolitan Line from work (Farringdon) to Kings Cross, and then the Piccadilly line to Holloway Road. Very straightforward but the queue to board at Kings Cross was astounding. I had to wait for four trains to pass before getting on one less crowded.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

After picking up the obligatory match day programme, I had some food and drink inside. A.pint of Carlsberg and a Chicken and Mushroom pie for a mind-boggling £8.50! It was Transfer Deadline Day so the concourse was showing Sky Sports and the latest transfer news. The concourse was very spacious. Any Arsenal fans I did meet on route were very friendly and kept a low profile. No problem in wearing club colours around the stadium or the surrounding areas.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Emirates Stadium?

I've been to the Emirates Stadium before, and yes it is a lovely stadium. The away support are housed in the corner between the East Stand and the Clock End, the padded seats are a bonus but frankly on an away day- I never sit down!

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

Watford were on a poor run of form, but on a wet Tuesday night, we were brilliant. Two nil up inside 13 minutes and the 3,000 travelling Hornets were in fine voice. The Arsenal fans typically made no noise whatsoever, given the nature of the game there were more groans than actual noises/chants of encouragement. I hate being overcritical, but the Emirates suffers from the tourist fans syndrome. There isn't enough ferocity towards the away support and I'm sure there are passionate Arsenal fans- would be nice to see them! The facilities were great and the queues for a half time beer weren't too long. The stewards were brilliant and weren't an annoyance throughout the night. Very friendly and helpful. They even allowed some of the Watford Players to jump over the hoarding at full time to give their shirts away.

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

I stayed in the ground for ten minutes after the game to celebrate with fellow fans and the players, despite that getting away was okay. Please note that Holloway Road station is closed after the game, so all match day traffic is diverted to Arsenal station, and be prepared to wait for at least 30 minutes. I did stop by the now world famous Arsenal Fan TV for a bit, no animosity from the Arsenal fans at all (more congratulations than any hatred).

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

It was a brilliant game (obviously), and possibly the best away day this season. The atmosphere wasn't great from the Arsenal fans but nowadays that's expected. Out of all the away games, this is one I always prioritise.

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Emirates Stadium?

My first visit to the Emirates Stadium, although I had been to the former Highbury ground many times over the years. I was looking forward to seeing the new stadium.

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

I travelled by coach from the Hawthorns on the official club travel. The coaches were parked in a side street about two minutes walk from the away fans section of the stadium.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

Before the game I headed off to see what had become of the former Highbury ground. It is now a complex of apartments though the shell of the ground is still present, with the club logo still high on the walls. It seems that most fans gather in this area before the game, and a mixture of Albion and Arsenal fans were mixing freely. There are a number of stalls selling scarves etc along the road, and food and drink is also available. The Drayton pub near to the ground was full of both sets of supporters, who were happily singing away.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Emirates Stadium?

From the outside the Emirates Stadium is quite spectacular, and is similar to the Etihad Stadium at Manchester City, it reminded me of a mini Wembley. Inside the ground, although well set out, I wasn't over impressed. There was no pause in the dull sickly red colour of the entire seating areas. But having said that the padded seats, although low-set, were comfortable. Views were very good, the away fans being in the south -east corner of the stadium.

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

As expected, Arsenal constantly pounded the Albion on the field, but it was disappointing to go down to a single goal three minutes from time. The atmosphere was very flat, there was no banter from the home fans, and they didn't come alive until they scored. The stewards were friendly enough, and they even put your ticket in the scanner for you at the turnstiles. They also ignored Albion fans who were standing. Food was a bit pricey. Pies were £3.80 but double cheeseburgers were £7. The vegetarian option for me was £4.30 so I had crisps instead. The concourse is fairly spacious and queuing seemed to be no different from other grounds.

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

Getting away from the ground is a nightmare on the coach. There was no Police escort and it is one long queue along the suburban roads to the North Circular. Holloway Road, the usual route, was closed. After setting off at 5pm we eventually got to the M1 at 6.25pm.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

I enjoyed the day, but was disappointed by atmosphere in the ground. Still the Emirates Stadium is worth visiting and I would recommend it to anyone.

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Emirates Stadium?

I have been to the Emirates Stadium a few times before with Saints and it's always a good day out. I was hoping for an underdog result in the quarter finals of the cup and for the terrific entrance price of just £10 it was well worth the visit!

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

I travelled on one of the official supporters coaches. Traffic does get very busy around the Emirates Stadium. This was not helped in this instance by the fact that it was an evening game and that there were tube strikes that night.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

The Drayton Arms is one of the best away pubs I've been to. It's so close to the stadium and the atmosphere is always great before the game. It's on the same side of stadium as the away fans section and only a minute or two's walk over the footbridge. As you would expect the pub can get very crowded so try and get there early if possible!

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Emirates Stadium?

The Emirates is a very beautiful stadium. Modern, spacious and easy on the eye. The concourse is very spacious too which makes a pleasant change, as were the toilets.

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

The game was fantastic as we beat the Gunners 2-0 and made it to the semis. But even when it was 0-0, there was not much noise to be heard from the home fans apart from the odd 'Arsenal' chant. I suppose it is a well publicised fact that the Emirates is a hot spot for tourist fans and corporate hospitality, but it's a great chance for your own fans to boss the acoustics! No qualms at all with the facilities, all top notch, and the stewards were friendly enough.

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

The usual matchday traffic but nothing major. Once we were on the motorway it was plain sailing.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

Will always try and do Arsenal away every season, it really is a good one.

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Emirates Stadium?

A chance to visit a premier league ground, not my first visit though. Recent results between the two clubs weren't in our favour - the bizarre 5-7 at the Madejski, a more recent FA Cup semi-final defeat and the fact that we had lost to Arsenal on all meetings during our all to brief Premiership campaigns. All gave a sense of foreboding.

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

We travelled on one of the supporters coaches which are parked in cordoned-off Queensland Street, immediately adjacent to the away fans entrances, so it couldn't have been easier to access the Emirates Stadium.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

Arriving at about 6.15, we decided to go straight in to the ground. There was a short wait until the turnstiles were opened at about 6.45. I suspect these type of games attract home fans who can't normally get to league matches - the home fans seemed reasonably friendly and I spotted lots of half-and-half scarves - oh dear!

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Emirates Stadium?

The stadium is huge, modern and very impressive both inside and out. There was a good sized Reading turnout located in the lower tier of seats, behind the Clock End goal. Despite the impressive nature of the stadium, in my opinion the stadium has a major design flaw: The lower tier seats have a very shallow rake which means that when the play is in the area in front of those seats, everyone stands up to see. This happened both behind the goals and along the sides. The result was bad temper amongst fans those who want to sit but can't see and those who want to stand. Stewards made fairly half-hearted attempts to get Reading fans to sit. We were near the boundary with home fans who presumably are used to having to stand and sit alternately throughout the game. We ended up standing for most of the game. The seats, as mentioned in other reviews, are quite big and padded. They are rather strange in that when you pull the seat down and sit, you seem to be sitting quite low down. The other main down-side I noticed was the inadequacy of the men's toilets in the away section. The combination of a very narrow, twisting entrance and far too few urinals resulted in queues, yes Queues! for the men's toilet. In an equally unusual twist, my wife reported a queue-free ladies experience!

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

Inside the Emirates, the concourse is big with plenty of serveries. Oddly, not all food selections were available when we eventually got inside, and the beer selection was poor - I had a Chicken Balti Pie, which was good, and a very watery pint of Tetley's beer in a plastic glass. North London has many micro-breweries and craft ales so that was disappointing. Prices were steep - the watery Tetleys was £4.60 and the pie, I think was £3.50.

As for the game, Reading acquitted themselves pretty well against a young, technically gifted Arsenal side bereft of most of their first-teamers, To be fair, Reading left a few first-team players out as well. We managed to gift Arsenal a first goal after a sloppy pass-out from defence but even after Arsenal scored a second, deflected goal in the second half, I felt a Reading goal would have change the nature of the game. That didn't happen so it was a 2-0 defeat - the difference between the two sides being Oxlade-Chamberlain who can score goals.

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

Getting back to the coaches was very quick - there followed quite a long delay until the Police deemed the crowds to have dispersed enough to allow the coaches to leave.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

I was slightly disappointed with the facilities inside the stadium for the reasons mentioned, and very disappointed with the result, but Heigh-Ho, that's football!

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Emirates Stadium?

A visit to the Emirates Stadium was supposed to be my last stadium completing the 92. But getting a one-off ticket for a Liverpool away match is very difficult, so when a mate offered me a ticket it was an easy decision. I'd heard wonderful descriptions of the Emirates so I went with great expectations!

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

Tube to Arsenal station, just around the corner from the Emirates Stadium.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

I arrived early but spent most of the time wandering around and taking it all in!

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Emirates Stadium?

The "wow factor" was eleven out of ten! The outside is superb and inside just amazing; definitely one of the best grounds I've been to. Seated in row 11 of the away section (or should I standing as the only time I sat down was at half time!), I was too low and would strongly recommend being a lot higher. The seats seemed very comfortable but the seat numbers are below the seat, which seems daft to me. Also, as it was very spacious between the rows, this tended to lead to overcrowding in the rows with fans standing with their friends and I wonder whether this is a general problem or one specific to my club's fans? Otherwise, very impressive!

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

It was highlighted as the game of the weekend and it probably lived up to it. For Liverpool to come out on top of a seven goal thriller was a wonderful result for us Reds but I reckon both defences were somewhat suspect! It was obvious that a lot of Arsenal fans were very disgruntled during the game and especially after it. On the other hand, I honestly don't think that they created an atmosphere to help their team when it was needed. I have to say that, despite the stringent security measures employed, the stewards were among the most polite and helpful that I've come across.

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

Patience is the order of the day! If intending to return via Arsenal tube station, approach it with the station on the left but ignore the queues which, on Sunday, were horrendous. Go past the station and join the queue from the other side; on Sunday it was about a tenth of the other queue. Personally (and thanks to a previous reviewer), I walked up to Finsbury Park tube station (go past Arsenal tube station and take the next left in St Thomas's Road) and the queue there was only a few minutes. I was back at Euston quicker than I'd thought.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

It was helped by a wonderful result for my team but what a fantastic day out! Without question, in my view, The Emirates is a must see ground. Don't think twice, go!

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Emirates Stadium?

Back in the 1980's Watford and Arsenal clashed regularly in the top tier and FA Cup with Watford remarkably tending to come out on top. This was a chance to relive one amazing away FA cup victory. Added to that, a first chance to visit the Emirates and compare with Highbury, which used to be one of my favourite away venues.

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

Sunday lunchtime kick-offs are actually quite easy in London. Train to Marylebone then tube to Highbury and Islington for the walk up to the stadium. Very easy, although it would be possible to drive on Sunday as the parking restrictions are lifted away from the vicinity of the ground.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

Unlike the cultural desert around White Hart Lane, there are plenty of places to stop en route to Emirates and sample decent food on the Holloway Road and even Upper Street. We stopped at Maison D'Etre outside the tube for an outstanding brunch. Very Guardianista, but when in Rome......

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Emirates Stadium?

The stroll up to the ground is the perfect preamble to a match in the metropolis. Atmosphere builds as the crowds gather and mingle. Arsenal fans may well be amongst the friendliest we have encountered. Banter, but friendly. No problems with colours etc.. When you reach the stadium, you are met with an extraordinarily and impressive piece of architecture which dominates the location. Easy access to the away end as although we were subject to two searches, the staff were excellent being both friendly and efficient. Things go rapidly downhill in the upper tier. Due to the design, it feels like you are miles from the action albeit you get a padded seat. Added to that, the corporate tier between the lower and upper sections really impacts the atmosphere. Less of a problem for the near 9,000 away fans, but doubtless a big factor in the absence of any momentum in the home fans support. It is in no way intimidating for away players or fans. A total disaster of design. All form, no substance.

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

Arsenal dominate possession but lack the guile to breakdown the Watford rearguard. Half time and 70% possession for the Gunners but no shots on target. Second half and the Hornets game plan moves up a gear. Ighalo swivels and turns in the box to put the Hornets 1-0 up with the first on target effort from either side. Arsenal continue to control the infield, but on the break away Watford actually create the better chances before Guediora rockets in a shot from just inside the 18 yard box to double the lead. 9,000 Watford fans on their feet for the remainder of the game roaring their side on. Arsenal sections begin to empty in almost total silence. Wenger responds with a double substitution, bringing on Welbeck. His introduction threatens to change the game. Pace, movement, threat and directness, all absent until 15 minutes to go. Arsenal get one back thanks to a tremendous effort move including a back heel from Ozil that opens the defence and a cool finish from Welbeck.

The Arsenal fans come alive and their team creates a flurry of chances, hit the post and then Welbeck misses an open goal. Hearts in mouths. The final whistle goes and joy unconfined in the away end. A committed performance and a plan executed to perfection. Arsenal kept at arms length until the final fifteen minutes and two expertly taken goals....

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

The away contingent stated for several minutes to celebrate a famous victory with the players and management. Watford are off to Wembley! Singing continues all the way out of the ground and on the walk all the way back to the tube. Only sporadic reports of Arsenal fans fighting amongst themselves as in general the Arsenal fans were a generous lot, wishing us well and bemoaning the general lack of fight from their own players. Tube was rammed, but on the move after a short delay for the quick journey back home.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

An amazing day out for Watford fans, and very easy logistics. However, although the Emirates Stadium is impressive architecturally, in my opinion it is a massive disappointment. Too corporate, too sterile, too far from the action. That disastrous corporate section dividing the tiers. Reminds me why I no longer bother with Internationals at Wembley. How die hard Arsenal fans must long for Highbury.......or the atmosphere at other new stadiums like Leicester (best home fans for me) or Swansea. It can be done, but only if clubs put the fans at the core of their strategy. Spurs take note.

A Visit to the old Highbury and the Emirates StadiumTuesday, 1st March 2016
By Shaun Ware

Like any football fan, I love my football stadiums and the thrill of visiting a new ground. Whether shiny and new, or old and decrepit, visiting a new ground still makes me feel like that nine year old going to his first match. I am also fascinated by stadiums that are no longer here, their importance to those that visited them and the memories that they are steeped in. It’s also with regret that there are many stadiums, now confined to the history books, which I never had the chance to visit.

One such stadium was Highbury. I am not an Arsenal fan but Highbury is a ground that I always loved. From the Clock End, to the dug outs to the art deco stands, it was a classy, stylish, stadium. The ground is now 10 years redundant as a football stadium with Arsenal having moved to The Emirates – another ground which has been on my “to visit” list.

Imagine my joy when I recently received an invite to a conference at The Emirates – work and play all in one day! When planning my journey the first thing I did was look at my schedule to see how I could get enough time to visit what remains of Highbury. In a time where many stadiums are raised to the ground to be replaced by newer versions, housing or retail developments (or an IKEA in the case of my team, Bristol Rovers) the redevelopment of Highbury into Highbury Villa’s is a breath of fresh air.

The East Stand Facade - Still Looking Impressive

I took the short walk from Arsenal tube station to what was once Highbury Stadium. Whilst the clock End and North Stands have been replaced by sharp looking apartment blocks, the East and West Stand structures remain - the red and white exteriors standing proud as a nod to the wonderful history of this beautiful old stadium. The art deco exteriors still provide a certain charm and reinforce the fact that this was a truly iconic ground, which is in part, still here for all to see. The area that once graced the likes of Charlie George, Thierry Henry and Ian Wright is now a communal garden enclosed by shiny new apartments. By incorporating the new homes into the remaining stand structures, the architects have subtly blended the modern with the past. Where thousands once flocked to watch there hero’s play, people now walk their dogs and lounge on their sofas and where there were once turnstiles there are now apartment front doors. All of these changes have been made to ensure that the beauty of the remaining stadium is highlighted for all to see.

The Highbury Pitch - Now A Communal Garden

Having never attended a game here I can only imagine the atmosphere which would have been created, and the bustle which would have filled the surrounding streets as 38,000 fans approached or left the ground. Look up at what remain of the West stand, close your eyes, and you can only imagine how electric it must have been on a match day.

Everyone knows how much football has changed in the last decade. In the name of progress and to increase capacity Arsenal moved to the Emirates in 2006 – a stones throw from their previous home. In an age where football clubs in London struggle to find suitable and affordable areas of land to build new stadiums, Arsenal fans must feel blessed that they have relocated so close to their previous stadium, and that Highbury has not been completely demolished and erased from memory. Taking a short walk around Gillespie Road you arrive at The Emirates, a huge development accessed by various bridges or steps - it is an impressive structure. The stadium is pleasing on the eye and is as modern as the art deco stands at Highbury would have been in their pomp.

In contrast to wishing I had visited Highbury on a match day, it was nice to visit The Emirates for something other than a game. Whilst you don’t get the full buzz and match day experience you do get a certain privacy. You can take your time to look around and view things without the hustle and bustle of tens of thousands of fans – making it a slightly more personable experience.

Once inside the Emirates stadium it is certainly an impressive place. It’s clean and state of the art but does lack the history that you naturally get from and older stadium. The first thing that struck me about the ground was that it didn’t feel as though it held 60,000 fans, it felt smaller. Internally it also felt very corporate and heavily “Arsenal” branded, as is the way in the modern world!

The seats and the views from the bottom and middle tiers are very good and are a far cry from the cold terraces or cramped wooden seats on offer at some stadiums in the lower leagues. Watching football in a stadium such as this is almost an indulgence (as it should be for the price of a season ticket!). The stadium was complimented by what can only be described as the most pristine playing surface I have seen, in itself a work of art, and one that must be fantastic to play on. Other things that impressed me were the many subtle nods to the clubs past. The old time piece from the Highbury Clock End now has pride of place in its new surroundings which is a lovely touch. In addition the honours of the club being displayed around the middle tier advertising boards are a warm nod to the clubs rich history. The many murals of club legends inside and outside of the ground, as well as the named bridges and statutes of former “greats” ensure that the stadium remembers the past whilst also having its own identity.

The shaping of the upper tier, with its open corners, along with the inclining stadium roof, make the ground instantly recognisable. Something that always strikes me about many new stadiums is the lack of words spelt out in the seats – mainly due to sponsorship reasons. It’s a small thing but surely an “AFC” or “Arsenal” amongst the rows and rows of padded red seats would give the internal appearance an even greater identity? I thoroughly enjoyed the number of supporters banners on display within the ground – something that I feel should be commonplace across all UK stadia. From the “Rocky” Rocastle tribute to the “Anfield 91” banner - they provide both a splash of colour and added character.

If it was my “new” home stadium I would be a happy fan although one that would be slightly tinged with sadness. Give me an aged stadium like Highbury, Goodison Park or Maine Road over a newer one any day, however the need for increased revenue in modern football far outweighs historical sentiment. This small footballing corner of London, steeped in both the old and new feels like its genuinely the home of Arsenal Football club, and that these streets provide the heartbeat of the clubs community.

In moving to The Emirates Arsenal have no doubt moved forwards, at least financially. Their new stadium is certainly more in keeping with the modern premier league era. The fact however that Highbury can still be seen just around the corner is a brilliant reminder of the past. All in all the building of the new stadium and preservation of the old has been done with thought, and a touch of class providing a benchmark for other clubs to follow. Well done Arsenal Football Club.

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Emirates Stadium?

Top of the Table clash!! (Still cannot believe I have written that for a Leicester City game). And I'd never visited the Emirates Stadium before so was very much looking forward to this game.

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

I traveled with fellow City fans on the club organised supporters coaches. I counted 23 at least all making their way down the M1. Journey was good until we hit some roadworks about two miles from the Emirates Stadium. It took an hour to get through them...and two hours after the match.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

We arrived about 10am and there was already a good atmosphere around the stadium. I met a friend (City fan with an Arsenal end ticket), and we found a cafe for breakfast (extremely busy) but good food and good value. Home fans were friendly and in good spirits too.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Emirates Stadium?

The stadium is incredible....absolutely awesome, How they built that in London I'll never know. Impressive concourse around the outside of the stadium, so plenty of space to do a few laps. But it is odd how away coaches have to negotiate a very small side street making a 28 point u-turn at the end. For a modern stadium why is there not a purpose built coach park?

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

We had tickets about 10 rows up and although the stadium is incredible, the view isn't the best for away fans as the tiering is quite shallow. The game ended disappointingly with a 109th minute winner for the home team (okay I exaggerate a bit there). Cue Arsenal fans going mental, and City fans responding with 'We are top of the league, say we are top of the league....' Oh, and the Arsenal players doing a lap of honour at the end was just daft. Wait until you win something!

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

Back onto the rather quiet coaches within a few minutes, and then a two hour crawl to get past the roadworks. Arsenal fans smiling and taunting everywhere. Note to self: next time, bring eye sleep mask in case of another 109th minute winner for the home team.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

Great day, amazing stadium, nightmare London traffic, disappointing result, but hey, we're still top of the league! (as at 3/3/16).

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Emirates Stadium?

Living in Scotland I do not see many Southampton games so this was a chance to catch up with family and visit the Emirates.

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

My journey was quite straightforward, but I would imagine different from any of the other 3,000 Southampton fans who were at the game. I flew from Edinburgh to Gatwick in the morning and got a train into East Croydon to meet up with my stepson who lives in Croydon. We left the house in Croydon at 4pm, got the train in to London Bridge, tube to Kings Cross where we changed and got another tube to Holloway Road, pretty much beside the Emirates Stadium.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

We went for a couple of pints at the Drayton pub quite near to the 'away' end of the ground. Fans of both clubs were there, many wearing colours. Service from the bar was good and it was a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Emirates Stadium?

First thought on seeing the Emirates Stadium, was how we just seemed to turn a corner and there it was, right in the middle of a built up area! The away section was very impressive. Comfortable seats with plenty of leg-room (not that anybody sat down during the game itself) and an excellent view of the pitch. One thing which did strike me though was how late the ground filled up. Whilst the crowd was eventually over 60,000, there must have been fewer than 10% of them in their seats fifteen minutes before kick-off!

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

Although the game ended 0-0, I thoroughly enjoyed the match. Arsenal certainly had the balance of play and the better chances, but they found Fraser Forster in inspired form in the Southampton goal. However Southampton certainly did not turn up to 'park the bus' and had a good few chances as well.

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

Again pretty straightforward. We walked to Finsbury Park tube station, which must have taken about 20 minutes, and then got the Victoria line all the way down to Victoria Station. We then got a train to East Croydon and we were back in the house just after 11pm in time to catch most of Match of the Day! I flew back to Scotland the next morning.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

A most enjoyable day. A wonderful modern day stadium and well worth the ticket price of £26.

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Emirates Stadium?

Top of the Table clash!! (Still cannot believe I have written that for a Leicester City game). And I'd never visited the Emirates Stadium before so was very much looking forward to this game.

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

I traveled with fellow City fans on the club organised supporters coaches. I counted 23 at least all making their way down the M1. Journey was good until we hit some roadworks about two miles from the Emirates Stadium. It took an hour to get through them...and two hours after the match.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

We arrived about 10am and there was already a good atmosphere around the stadium. I met a friend (City fan with an Arsenal end ticket), and we found a cafe for breakfast (extremely busy) but good food and good value. Home fans were friendly and in good spirits too.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Emirates Stadium?

The stadium is incredible....absolutely awesome, How they built that in London I'll never know. Impressive concourse around the outside of the stadium, so plenty of space to do a few laps. But it is odd how away coaches have to negotiate a very small side street making a 28 point u-turn at the end. For a modern stadium why is there not a purpose built coach park?

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

We had tickets about 10 rows up and although the stadium is incredible, the view isn't the best for away fans as the tiering is quite shallow. The game ended disappointingly with a 109th minute winner for the home team (okay I exaggerate a bit there). Cue Arsenal fans going mental, and City fans responding with 'We are top of the league, say we are top of the league....' Oh, and the Arsenal players doing a lap of honour at the end was just daft. Wait until you win something!

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

Back onto the rather quiet coaches within a few minutes, and then a two hour crawl to get past the roadworks. Arsenal fans smiling and taunting everywhere. Note to self: next time, bring eye sleep mask in case of another 109th minute winner for the home team.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

Great day, amazing stadium, nightmare London traffic, disappointing result, but hey, we're still top of the league! (as at 3/3/16).

I have visited the Emirates Stadium a few times, and found it to looks bigger when being on the inside rather than viewed externally. Still they have managed to keep the pitch close to the stands and I have been impressed on my previous visits so was happy to return.

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

Really easy to find by London Underground. Take the tube to Arsenal station and you can't go wrong. Otherwise the overground train service provides fast connections to suburbia from Highbury and Islington Station.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

We didn't have a great deal of time, but we did the typical get a picture in front of the stadium and watch the players warm up.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Emirates Stadium?

The Emirates is world class. It fails to disappoint in terms of impressions, and expectations. The away end is great - padded seats and plenty of legroom. However, being Sunderland fans, we just didn't sit down for the whole game. The concourse had a few bars and a few projectors playing Sunderland highlights - including the derby! Inside the stadium, atmosphere was lacking. Sunderland fans were as usual at the top of their voices for the majority of the game, but sometimes there needs to be some home fans singing to make a good atmosphere. The most common of our chants was "Is this the library?"

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

This was the one stadium I have been to as an away fan that I could feel safe displaying a Sunderland shirt in the area around. We lost 3-1 but should have got better than we did!

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

We left a few minutes early and it paid off. The queues for the tube were short and we had no problem getting on a train.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

Good day out, despite scoreline, but I wasn't really expecting us to get much from the game.

I had previously visited the Emirates to watch as International match, but very much wanted to watch Arsenal play there too. As I could not get tickets for regular league games, this pre-season tournament provided me with an ideal chance to see them.

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

I had previously been to Highbury many times and to the Emirates once. Arsenal tube station was the obvious choice to travel to, especially as there were two games on the day the fans coming to the games were spread out over 4 hours. The Emirates is one of the easiest to find in England to be honest. For me a train from the south coast into Victoria and then tube to Arsenal via Green Park.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

Went straight to the first game at 2pm, so local pubs not sought. Persistent light rain made outside eating non viable. I had seats in the top tier in the North Bank and either side of me were couples who kept to themselves.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?

It's the best club stadium in the country, a smaller version of Wembley. Architecturally it looks nice but due to the weaving design at the top of the stadium they have lost maybe a couple of thousand seats. There were no home/away splits for this game and only a few token voices cheering when teams read out.

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

The game was fairly low key in a holiday atmosphere, both sides played well and there were several chances for goals in the Arsenal v Wolfsburg match. Although the woodwork was hit three or four times, there was only one goal in it which was scored by Walcott for Arsenal. The atmosphere was strange as for the first game (Lyon v Villereal) there was hardly any noise from the fans, only Arsenal attacking in the second game brought them to life. Stewards were plentiful and helpful and very friendly. Catering was very expensive a small plastic bottle of Carlsberg at £4:50 but people are mug enough to pay and so the clubs carry on charging that much. Much has been said about the seats at Arsenal and yes they are larger than normal but my knees were still touching the seats in front, so I did have a problem with dead legs during the second game as they have no where to stretch out.

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

Nightmare. The same problem occurs at every new ground, no one bothers to consider the transport issues, getting away from Highbury was bad enough but now there is 60,000 seemingly all trying to use the same tube station. Think the club could do more to promote the other stations in the area. there is a Railway line that runs next to the stadium which I think goes into King's Cross and it would have been a great idea to have built a new Arsenal station as part of the Emirates Stadium complex.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

Two matches for £29, seeing some good football played at a great stadium. Generally all was okay and the niggles are small ones.

1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):

I define myself as a football fan as a traditionalist and anti-modern stadia but Arsenal seem to have actually done a decent job on the Emirates. Plus I always enjoy away trips in London. Also our record against them isn't bad and I had a feeling we'd come away with a result.

2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

I normally travel by train but as the last train back to Swansea left Paddington at 22:45 (roughly one hour after the game) I decided against this and travelled via the official coaches.

3. What you did before the game pub/chippy.... home fans friendly?

We arrived with an hour to spare and I immediately bought a programme only to receive a free one when entering the turnstile later on! I asked said programme seller about an away pub and was pointed to the Drayton Arms which rang a bell thanks to this site but it looked packed full of Arsenal and didn't look quite as mixed and friendly as described on this day (maybe this was just me?).

We then bought drinks at an official kiosk outside the away end and waited for the turnstiles to open. £8.60 for two bottles of Carlsberg!

4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?

Very impressive ground. From the ornamental cannons to the big concrete "ARSENAL" outside the Drayton Arms to the huge ex-player murals which decorate the sides of the stadium - it has detail and character which other new grounds lack even given the slightly corporate feel.

A brilliant Bony header had us one nil up till halfway through the second half when they scored two in 66 seconds. Then Leon Britton bundled his way into box the causing a pin-ball style own goal by Flamini in injury time - 2-2! Then bizarrely Lee Probert blew his whistle for full-time with De Guzman bearing down on goal in a one-one with Szczesny.

Atmosphere was we've come to expect from new grounds. All seater stadia marketed primarily to families is never going to lead to good atmospheres. They only really got going when they were winning. One steward seemed a decent chap and said he had to ask us to sit down even as Swans fans behind us were complaining but in the end most of us stood and left the sitting down to the silent fans. In agreement with what has been posted above given the modern and impressive nature of the stadium the queuing system for drinks was a prehistoric free-for-all!

6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

As mentioned I went with the club coaches but after assessing the area if I was to come again by train I'd either get the Victoria Line to Highbury and Islington and walk the fifteen minutes or so up the Holloway Road turn right at Hornsey Road or get the Northern Line to Archway (or Overground to Upper Holloway) and walk the half hour or so down the Holloway Road turning left at Hornsey Road. Holloway Road tube station is directly opposite Hornsey Road and which leads to the Emirates.

Firstly because I saw a good amount of pubs on Holloway Road these could be used pre-match and secondly with Arsenal and Finsbury Park stations recommended post-match (and Holloway Road closed weekends) these must be quieter.

7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

It was the stereotypical (but not typical) rollercoaster of emotions that a football fan feels. But a point at Arsenal whilst in a relegation battle is a great one. I'd be interested to go by rail/tube next time as this is my favoured method and proper "awayday" experience.

I always look forward to visiting the Emirates Stadium purely because it is a wonderful-looking ground. Arsenal's good form had stuttered slightly and Chelsea would be high on confidence after beating Barcelona in midweek so it was possible that the blues would be able to add to their good record at the Emirates.

2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

Arsenal tube station is on the Piccadilly line and is about 15 minutes away from Leicester Square. On my visits to the Emirates the tube has been fairly busy and can get a lot busier when the train stops at Kings Cross/St Pancras. Arsenal station is quite old and there is a long tunnel that takes you up to ground level. This tunnel has a permanent fence which on one side is only one person wide. I assume this is used for queueing after the game but from my point of view it looked potentially quite dangerous if for whatever reason somebody needed to get out of the queue quickly. (However, I have never used Arsenal tube station after a match and so I am not entirely sure how the queueing system does work.) From the station it is a 5 minute walk and the stadium and housing that was built with it are easily visible as soon as you turn right out of the station. It is more or less impossible to miss it on a match day.

3. What you did before the game pub/chippy.... home fans friendly?

I decided to go straight to the ground as there were only 30 minutes until kick off. There are though lots of merchandise and burger and chip stalls on the brief walk to the stadium. Some of the food outlets were set up in people's front gardens which looked a bit unusual.

4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Emirates Stadium?

As you cross the railway bridge to the stadium, you cannot help but be impressed by the size and look of the ground. Massive Arsenal badges are stuck onto the sides and large glass walls allow you to see into the upper tier concourse as well as the two levels of prawn sarnie land. It really is spectacular and is without doubt one of the best looking stadiums in Europe. The away turnstiles are about halfway round the stadium bowl from where fans enter from Arsenal tube station (going around to the left of the stadium). Here, entry is gained by inserting your ticket into an electronic reader. Once inside the concourse, I was left a bit disappointed by the size. There is just one central food outlet to serve all of the away fans and it is quite dark considering that the stadium is new. The stairs into the seating area are at the back of the stand, which has a slight overhang in the back few rows caused by the hospitality seating above. My seat was in block 22 and I was in the second last row (28) which meant that I was not able to see all of the stadium bowl. The view of the pitch was fine though and we were still reasonably close to the action. The interior of the stadium is equally as impressive as the exterior with semi-circular shaped seating on all four sides and a massive upper tier. The seats are padded and seemed slightly higher from the ground than at other stadiums that I have visited.

The game was sandwiched between two Champions League semi-finals for Chelsea, meaning that many changes were made to the team. This allowed Salomon Kalou to once again demonstrate why he is possibly the worst player to have ever put on a pair of boots and Daniel Sturridge to try to make it into double figures for passes made this season. It was a match to forget, with little action at either end and the game ending in a dull 0-0 draw. Arsenal certainly had the better chances, hitting the woodwork twice in the first half and van Persie going close in the second half. Many visitors to the Emirates have noted the poor atmosphere. On this occasion, the Arsenal fans did not seem to make much noise. However, watching the game again that evening they did seem louder and I think being in with a lot of noisy Chelsea fans and being tucked away under an overhang may have made it seem quieter. The stewards and other staff were very friendly and helpful and had no problems with the crowd standing for the whole game. In terms of food on offer, there is quite a wide choice. The cheapest thing was a small tube of Pringles at £1.60 and there were also family sized packets of sweets (The ones you get in cinemas which just about serve one person really) at £3.20 and mini donuts at £3.60. There was also a pint of Carlsberg and footlong hot dog meal deal available for around £8.40. To be fair, the prices were not as bad as I had expected them to be and the hot dogs looked like they were being prepared on-site.

6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

Getting away from the ground was easy. I have been advised to go to Finsbury Park after a game because Arsenal tube station can apparently be a nightmare. Instead, I walked about 10 minutes towards Highbury and Islington station (served by London Overground and the Victoria Line) which was surprisingly quiet, especially considering that the Victoria Line seemed a lot quicker for getting back to central London compared to the Piccadilly line.

7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

The game was dull but the Emirates stadium is always quite an enjoyable day out. Despite it being a London derby there were no problems between fans. I look forward to returning next season.

So many people have said to me how fantastic the Emirates Stadium is, so after waiting 15 years for QPR to get back to England’s elite level, going to see the bigger clubs away is always something to look forward to. I never did Highbury and we last played Arsenal away when I was 13. Looking at photos of the Emirates and games on television it looked brilliant. So being a new away club to visit (No 60 to be precise) I was looking forward to this from the moment the fixtures were released in June. Also having some good friends and work colleagues as Arsenal fans always adds to the interest. The only negative was how poor QPR had been for the previous 8 games only getting 1 point in 15 so coming here was always going to be a tough test for the R's!

2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

A London away day means a tube journey! The Buckingham Boys (Me, my twin Ian and cousin Mark) set off from Hillingdon reasonably early around 1130. We decided to avoid the long-winded Piccadilly line travelling all through West and Central London and jumped on the Met line and headed for Kings Cross. Very simple and hassle free, good journey! Clive avoided the pre-match beers and we met him and saw Big Chris at the ground.

3. What you did before the game pub/chippy.... home fans friendly?

We headed to Kings Cross to find a pub and to chill out for an hour and a half. We found the O’Neil’s just outside the station. There were a few football fans about but not many. We enjoyed a few beers and some Nacho’s and relaxed talking rubbish. We left there around 2pm and jumped on the Piccadilly line for the short journey to Arsenal station. There was a very relaxed feel about going to the Emirates didn’t seem like there would be any problems at all. The walk from the station was very simple literally just around the corner passing by plenty of souvenir and food stalls.

4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Emirates Stadium?

Quite simply, the Emirates Stadium is superb! It looks incredible as you approach it, very modern and of high quality. People say new stadiums all look the same like a bowl style arena with different coloured seats. This wasn’t the case, just the outside of the stadium alone looked excellent. The huge Arsenal badges on the exterior and the legends pictures and statues of former players were a nice touch too. There was plenty of room to walk around, no queues at the programme sellers, toilets outside the ground, just everything to make a matchday more enjoyable. Inside the ground it was just as good. The stadium is the same all the way around so the away section looks the same as everywhere else but the 3 tier design was impressive. The match was a bit lonely for me – sat on my own as according to Clive my attitude was ‘Forget everyone else, I’m getting my ticket and not worrying about them’. Basically QPR’s loyalty points, I was in the top bracket on my own and everyone else had to wait and I insisted on getting mine right away...there was one point the boys threatened to not tell me where they were sitting and to travel on their own J. At-least I missed Ian’s football tactic talk which they all had to suffer.

The facilities here were really good. There wasn’t a queue anywhere and there was plenty of space to move around on the concourse. The beers and food were good quality but maybe a touch overpriced. Like most modern grounds there were TV screens to watch the game and the Sky match before – where United let us down losing to Blackburn! The atmosphere I was told at the Emirates is very poor. I didn’t think it was too bad, bearing in mind QPR aren’t a big London derby for Arsenal. There was some banter with the fans on the left of the away section and the home fans in parts did stand up occasionally singing. They were miles ahead of the embarrassing Liverpool fans at Anfield earlier in the month!

Onto the game... a similar story in recent weeks, a poor decision from the officials denied us a corner and then a costly error from that decision by Shaun Wright-Phillips gave Robin Van Persie the chance to equal the most Premier League goals scored in a calendar year – which he gratefully accepted. Arsenal missed two excellent chances, Walcott a one-on-one and Van Persie from 10 yards out hit over the bar. QPR didn’t play badly but the one terrible error cost us and we didn’t have too many chances throughout the match. The QPR fans were very good and a work colleague at the game said we were very loud and kept going to the end!

6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

For a 60,000 attendance I thought this could be a nightmare! It was very easy and hassle free. Walked back to Arsenal station in 20 minutes and we were away! A tip – when walking back to the station, don’t queue on the left hand side, walk past the station about 150 yards and join the queue from that end, it will save a bit of time. A regular stop at Baker Street Treats shops was in order and we got back to Hillingdon within the hour to head off for our new year’s celebrations.

7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

By far the best club stadium I have ever done! The Emirates in the pinnacle of away days and I will go back every time QPR play there, which hopefully we can stay up this season and be back again next year! Compared to going to Spurs, this was hassle free and took barely an hour each way for us. It was a shame we couldn’t get a result but a very enjoyable away day. Onto MK Dons for the FA Cup with the 5,000 Rangers fans! – hopefully see us win our first FA Cup game in 11 years!

I was really excited about the trip because going to ‘one of the big 4’ away is an exciting prospect for most away fans. I wasn’t expecting much on the pitch but I was looking forward to seeing the Emirates Stadium itself.

2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

The journey was easy as we took an express train to Euston and took the tube, we got lost but it wasn’t my fault. Honest! However getting off at Arsenal tube station (finally) you will encounter a sea of red and white merchandise being sold and from then, it’s easy.

3. What you did before the game pub/chippy.... home fans friendly?

We went to a busy pub opposite the stadium itself which allows away fans. It could be deemed intimidating for away fans as there is a large number of home fans, but on this occasions, there was a group of Bolton fans that we joined.

4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Emirates Stadium?

My first impression of the outside was ‘wow’. It is really big and has a similar feel to Wembley. When I reached my seat I realised it was a padded seat which was a bonus! My complaints are how close the two sets of fans are to each other, just a narrow bar with a small number of stewards occupied. This led to unwanted banter between the fans. Also, the stewards told you sit down frequently, which can be irritating.

The game itself was a game of two halves, the first was good but it all fell apart in the second half, Robin van Persie scored his 100th league goal and it finished 3-0 to Arsenal. The atmosphere was great in the home ends, Bolton didn’t bring a lot of travelling supporters so it was subdued in the away end. The stewards were helpful at the turnstiles, helping fans with the ticket machine but got irritating after telling us to sit down. I didn’t test the pies because of how expensive they were!

6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

The tube station queue was massive after the game, luckily we were staying over so we took an over ground train, which was easier.

Having gone to Old Trafford last season to see Leeds knock out Man Utd, I didn't want to miss out on a similar occasion this year. Also I'd never been to the Emirates Stadium before and there's no better way to go than with your team.

2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

We got the train from Newcastle to Kings Cross and from there got the tube to Islington, and a 10 minute walk or so got us there, but the ground isn't visible, so we relied on locals and signs.

3. What you did before the game pub/chippy.... home fans friendly?

We stopped off at a burger van pre-match and then entered the ground. There were 8,000 Leeds fans all in one end, making such noise that we drowned out the Arsenal supporters. I was surprised by how close together both sets of fans were situated, in fact in talking distance, but there was no trouble.

4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Emirates Stadium?

The Emirates Stadium is by far and away, the most modern ground in England, however it seemed more of a theatre than a football stadium. Still there were large padded seats for all, and the stadium as a whole looks quite smart, although surprisingly it looks bigger inside than out.

The Leeds fans got the whole lower tier behind one of the goals and half the upper tier, including two corners, there was a middle tier of corporate seats in-between the Leeds fans, which isn't a great idea, but I'm told the usual amount of away fans is just the lower tier corner of that end.

The game was tense for Leeds, however as per usual the Leeds fans sung from start to finish. Leeds went one nil up thanks to a Snodgrass penalty shortly after half time, this created ecstasy in the away end, with all 8,000 of us bouncing around. Arsenal equalised with a Fabregas penalty at the death however, but we were happy simply to get a replay. Stewards were fine, toilets probably the best I've seen for a football ground. Food was very expensive and names such as hand-crafted pies took away the traditional, working class feel of a football ground.

6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

Leeds fans were kept in for about 15 minutes after the game compared to one hour the previous year at Old Trafford, and when we were let out, there was very big crowds queuing for the tube, however no trouble occurred with both fans bantering instead.